Topaz

Topaz

Topaz

Supreme Jewelry Through much of history, all of the yellow gems were considered topaz and most of the topaz was regarded as yellow. Topaz is actually available in many colors, and it’s likely not even about the stones that first donned its title. The title topaz derives from Topazios, the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island in the Red Sea. Although the yellowish stones beautifully mined there probably were not topaz, it soon became the title for many yellow stones.Pure topaz is colorless, but it might become tinted by impurities to have any colour of the rainbow. Precious topaz, varying in color from brown orange to yellowish, can be confused for “smoky quartz” or even “citrine quartz,” respectively–although quartz and topaz are unrelated minerals.The most prized color is Imperial topaz, that comes with a vibrant orange color with pink undertones. Blue topaz, although increasingly abundant on the market, very rarely occurs naturally and is often caused by irradiation treatment.The largest producer of quality topaz is Brazil. Other sources include Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Australia, Nigeria, Germany, Mexico and the U.S., mostly California, Utah and New Hampshire.Measuring 8 on the Mohs scale, topaz is a hard and durable stone. Its perfect cleavage can ensure it is more susceptible to chipping or cracking, however, if cut properly, topaz makes very wearable jewelry.Topaz is a soothing rock that’s been believed to calm tempers, cure insanity and remove nightmares.

for centuries Yellow gemstones have been known as variations of the topaz before mineralogists determined that topaz happens in a range of colors and that many yellowish stones really belong to other mineral species.Ancient texts from the Greek scholar Pliny into the King James Bible referenced topaz, but due to this longstanding confusion, they likely called other yellowish stones instead.During that the Renaissance in Europe, people believed that topaz could violate spells and quell anger. Hindus deemed topaz sacred, presuming that a necklace could deliver longevity and wisdom to somebody’s life. African shamans also treated the rock as sacred, with it in their recovery rituals.Russia’s Ural Mountains became a top source of topaz in the 19th century. The prized pinkish orange gemstone mined there clearly was named Imperial topaz to honor the Russian czar, and just royals were permitted to own it.Since the discovery of large topaz deposits in Brazil in the 19th century, topaz has become much more affordable and widely available.Processes of irradiation treatment developed in the 1960s to transfer colorless topaz to blue. The blue Topaz has since flooded the marketplace, making it cheap and available.Light blue types of topaz are found in Texas, although not commercially available there. Blue topaz became the official gem of Texas in 1969–the same year Utah adopted topaz because of its state gemstone.